Creating the Merriest Holiday

Though living here in central Texas means that we don’t get mounds of snow (Thank goodness!) to cue the Christmas spirit, we are provided a plethora of events and doings to bring home that warm glow. From Waco to Round Rock we are provided lovely light shows, and parades galore. However, this often can leave the home feeling less than festive in comparison. Let’s discuss some options to make your home feel a little more joyful.

Deck the Halls

Many of us start promptly the day after Thanksgiving with festooning the house with greenery and ribbons. One special touch that we enjoy most are my husband’s antique lights. Now, take it from a reformed Grinch that these lights bring you to a time that was more about quality than quantity. The lights we love best are the classic Bubble Lights. Nothing will ever top our middle daughter’s first reaction to the Bubble Lights. She was so enthralled by the Bubbles that we kept them up for ages after they should have been put away. Though they are antique, there has been a resurgence of them and you can find more modern bulbs for replacements. I would mention they do get hot (the catalyst to create the bubbles) and if they break on the tip the liquid will be lost. Handle them with care.

Auld Lang Syne

Once you have added that touch of years past go through the stores and start a tradition my family has held for years. Each year we select an ornament or two to commemorate the years happenings. Maybe you visited a National Park, or had a child graduate. Use them as the inspiration behind them. We have even taken to saving the cork from New Years Eve and transforming them into ornaments. I write the year and names of who was there. With a few ribbons, some hooks, and another 20 years I plan to have a heck of a tree some year in the future, haha!

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

Next, do something that brings smiles to your families faces. Maybe you have a recipe for a special holiday treat you loved as a kid, or a fun new recipe from Pinterest. Include the kids and enlist the taste testers. Another fun one is to grab all the pillows in the house and a couple of big blankets. Lay out in front of the tv on the floor, all together. Turn on a Christmas movie and enjoy the laughs. Bonus points if you aren’t the one to start the pillow fight.

Silent Night

Lastly, grab the hot cocoa and step out of the house. Drive around and enjoy all of the stellar lighting projects folks have accomplished. Older kids can keep a scorecard, younger ones can shout out their favorite thing on each house. Adults in the front-seat can vote for least likely to happen at their house.

The author of “The Transplant Mom”, Aili Jones is a mom of three kids who keep her on her toes. She moved with her family to Temple, TX in August of 2017 for her husband’s VA job. While moving 1,800 miles was not a life-long plan for them, they wouldn’t have it any other way. Aili has learned that at heart she loves helping other “transplant” moms. She writes this column with the intention of bringing a smile with her humor and a way to include everyone in enjoying the local area of central Texas.